Archive for September 7th, 2010
Weaning a kitten from it’s mother
Weaning is a very important part of kitten care. It doesn’t matter whether kittens are being weaned by their mother or are being orphan raised. The method and the timing for weaning can have a lasting affect on the kittens. Normally, about four weeks after birth, the mother will begin to discourage them from nursing. This is the time that the kittens will reduce their time spent nursing. They spend more time exploring their new environment. This is the time to start offering food for the kittens to sample. Even if you are raising the kittens yourself without the mother, begin offering soft food around 3 or 4 weeks. The kittens should weigh over 400 grams at this point. Do not give them milk as this can have an affect on their digestion. You may offer some baby food but choose meats rather than vegetables. Try small amounts of wet cat food for kittens. Add dry cat for especially made for kittens around six weeks or so. Cat treats can be offered a little later when the kittens get a little older.